title: [For the seamless care of home ALS patient on a mechanical ventilator--the importance of reducing the sputum].
abstract: Recently, many of the ALS patients on mechanical ventilator have been shifting to home based care from hospitals, and these ALS patients are increasing in trend. In doing a seamless transition from hospital to home based care, it is important that the burden of the family caregiver should be reduced while the patient is still in the hospital prior to discharge. We experienced one ALS patient on ventilator who could be cared at home smoothly by several measures for a reduction of sputum. The following procedural measures are thought to be efficient: 1 set the tidal volume of ventilator rather high, 2 treat the underlying lung disease for the cause of sputum increase, and 3 keep a good sleep to prevent a sputum increase in the night by the patient's body movements.
authors.affiliation: Kawasaki Total Care Center Municipal Ida Hospital, City of Kawasaki Center for Chronic Diseases.
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karino
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishiguro
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsutazawa
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nito
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Oi
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyamori
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D013183:Sputum / Q000502:physiology*